


Till Tomorrow Comes

by EJDaniels



Category: Maria-sama ga Miteru
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-17
Updated: 2013-12-01
Packaged: 2018-01-01 19:38:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1047794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EJDaniels/pseuds/EJDaniels
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shimako and Noriko face the biggest challenge of their lives. What will it do to them and how will it affect their love for each other? I dedicate this story to Cheri. You have always been the best of my best. Always more Sister than Cousin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Noriko! Are you alright?" Shimako exclaimed rising to her feet quickly, concern for the named girl evident in her voice. The object of her worry had just fallen after rising from her chair across the table from where the Rosa Gigantea herself had been seated.

Noriko quickly jumped to her feet and replied to the girl who was rapidly advancing on her location with a concerned and worried expression upon her western features. "I'm alright Shimako-san." The petite dark haired bouton used Shimako-san as it was just the two of them within the Rose Mansion that afternoon. "I think I have just been sitting too long," she said with a smile which only added to her traditional Japanese doll looks. Yoshino and Touko were both at their club activities and Yumi had taken the opportunity to go and visit with her Onee-sama at Lillian University as the Yamayurikai had agreed to cancel the after school meeting that day.

"You should be more careful," the light haired girl intoned in her usual warm and calming tone of voice. Stopping before her Petite Sœur, Shimako laid a gentle hand upon Noriko's arm almost as if to help steady the girl who had just fallen so that she might not do so again. I hardly feel that 15 minutes sitting is long enough to cause one to fall, she thought to herself but decided not to question the other girl upon that fact. "So long as you're certain you're alright?" Shimako inquired allowing her hand to leave the younger girls arm and her fingers to brush the dark hair gently once they reached it.

Noriko smiled up at the woman before her that had become the sum of her world. The younger girl's cheeks were tinted a soft shade of pink at the touch upon her person. As her eyes ascended they were instantly captivated by the steel grey eyes that regarded her with such love and caring that it nearly stilled her heart. "I'm fine, Shimako-san," the reluctant Lillian student reiterated to the older girl once she could speak. It was only by chance that she was even here. If not for that unseasonal snowstorm on the day of the entrance exam I would never have meet Shimako-san. This thought sent a chill of a shiver down her spine colder than any winter storm could ever be. The now second year student had started her first year of high school due to an accident. Lillian had not been her first choice of high schools to attend. It was only due to the great respect she held for her great aunt, who was a Lillian Alumna, that she had taken the entrance exam for Lillian's Girls Academy at all. When she missed the entrance exam day to the high school she wished to attend, her only option was to accept Lillian whose entrance exam she had passed.

Shimako eyed her little sister for a long moment before relenting and trusting her to tell her if there was something wrong. "Perhaps then it would be best if we call it a day," the oldest of the pair offered with a soft gentle smile that contained more love than any one person had the right to receive, or so Noriko always felt when the older girl looked at her as such.

Feeling inadequate as always, Noriko turned away and stepped to the table as she replied, "Alright." Gathering up her tea cup as well as Shimako's she walked to the kitchenette area and washed then dried them quickly before putting them away. Turning around she found the light wavy haired woman holding both their school bags waiting for her with an ever present smile that warmed the smaller girl's heart.

"Shall we go?" Shimako held out the other girl's school bag till Noriko walked over and gently took it from her. "It's been some time since last we went home together hasn't it?" inquired the Rosa Gigantea as the two of them walked through the biscuit colored door and down the stairs which creaked beneath their combined tread.

"I was just thinking that, Shimako-san," Noriko replied smiling softly because her Onee-sama had been thinking the same thing she herself had been thinking at that moment. The two of them departed the Rose Mansion closing the door softly behind them before heading off down the path that would eventually lead them to the front gates. "I was thinking I might visit the temple this weekend," Noriko informed the other as they walked along neither holding hands nor arm in arm, yet close enough to brush against the other every now and then. "If that would be alright," she hastily added.

Shimako didn't need to be told which temple the girl meant. Her father was the chief priest of a large temple and Noriko had become a common visitor there over the time they had been Sœurs. Shimako often helped at the temple on the weekends and Noriko would just as often come and keep her company and even lend a hand when she could. "I think that would be lovely, Noriko." The younger girl grinned and grasped Shimako's arm in a sudden display of excitement and affection all combined in one which couldn't be contained and needed to be expressed in some manner. The Rosa Gigantea smiled down at the cute girl and took it all in stride, pleased that she could make Noriko happy by so little a thing. "One of these days you'll grow tired of me if you keep coming over every weekend though," Shimako said with a merry twinkle in her eye knowing that the two of them had been near inseparable since becoming sisters.

Noriko looked thoughtful for a long moment as if contemplating the older girl's words. "I see. Then perhaps I should only stay with you till tomorrow comes," she finally stated in a serious tone of voice. Shimako half smiled and regarded the girl next to her not certain just how to take her answer. Noriko smiled seeing the confusion in the grey eyes before her that she adored. "Per the song, tomorrow is always a day away," she sang in a sweet voice referencing the song from the play Annie which the Yamayurikai, with the help of Kanako as well as others, had put on just the previous week at the fall festival. In her own way Noriko was telling her that she would always be with her as tomorrow never truly comes.

"Noriko?" Shimako breathed ethereally with a slight catch in her throat, her voice filled with so much love she thought her heart would beat right out of her chest. "Oh my Noriko," Shimako voiced as her eyes shimmered with unshed tears of happiness. Noriko felt herself lifted up and borne away on her Onee-sama's love. The response had been everything she had hoped it would be and so much more when it had come. For the remainder of their walk to the front gate the two girls held tightly to one another, each certain that a stray wind would blow them away from the clouds they walked upon.

-oOo-

The cool winds of autumn blew into the cold chill of winter at Lillian. The Yamayurikai was busy with one thing after another and before they knew it Christmas had come along with their usual Christmas Party at the Rose Mansion. Shimako baked the yule log cake for everyone that year, having been taught by none other than Rei-sama herself the previous year. Once the party was in full swing Rei and Sachiko made an appearance to everyone's delight, especially Yumi and Yoshino's. Rei, after sampling the cake and seeing Shimako holding her breath awaiting the verdict, declared the cake even better than her own. Applause was heard all around and Noriko, so very proud of her Onee-sama, couldn't help if her eyes sprung a slight leak. "Crybaby," Touko teased her friend good-naturedly till Shimako walked over and embraced the crying girl, effectively rescuing her Petite Sœur from further teasing. Before leaving, with Yumi in tow upon her arm, Sachiko extracted a promise from everyone present that they would meet at the Ogasawara house for New Year's as they had done the two previous years.

The third annual Yamayurikai New Year's retreat was a wonderful affair at the large mansion. The men were off with their mistresses and so the women had the house to themselves for the entire weekend. Rei had arrived with Yoshino, Nana-chan tucked arm in arm between the two older women with a shy smile upon her cute face. Yumi had pleaded and begged until finally she had been allowed to come the day before and spent the night there so she could help her Onee-sama prepare everything for the weekend. Touko had rolled her eyes in feigned embarrassment at her Onee-sama's actions, yet she herself also arrived a day early as well. Yumi had been beside herself to have the two most important women in her life all to herself for an extra day. Shimako and Yoshino, upon being informed of Yumi's begging and pleading, shared a smile knowing that their cute brunette friend really just wanted the extra time with the sapphire eyed woman that was the center of Yumi's world. The fact that Touko had shown up early as well was the icing on Yumi's cake. Just before dinner there was an unexpected surprise in the form of three Roses, Youko, Sei and Eriko showing up. Exclamations of surprise and joy at their appearance ran around the room. Spirits ran so high that even Yoshino was seen giving Eriko a warm hug in way of greeting. Shimako looked at Sachiko and saw a knowing smile which told her exactly who had invited the former Roses to the festivities.

Dinner was a wonderful affair filled with good food, great laughter and wonderful friendship among the women. After dinner they played card games and board games with the final game being the one Sayako, Sachiko's mother who was also in attendance, had created that used almost every room in the large house. In light of the laughter and fun they all had it really didn't matter who won or lost. As the night deepened they all prepared for bed after folding and placing their boats beneath their pillows they laid their weary heads down to sleep.

Shimako felt a warm hand worm its way under the covers and find hers and then entwine their fingers together. Shimako rolled onto her side and smiled at Noriko who lay upon the futon next to hers. "I'm so very glad you're here, Noriko." Shimako whispered as she felt her little sister's hand in hers give a gentle squeeze.

"I told you I would stay with you, Shimako-san," the dark haired, fair complexioned girl replied as she rolled upon her side to face the girl whose hand she had captured in her own but moments before.

Shimako smiled softly, touched as she always was by the younger girl's heart felt words. "How long will you stay with me, my Noriko?"

"Just till tomorrow comes," Noriko replied and then tried in vain to stifle a yawn. The two young women laid there on their sides, fingers entwined, looking at each other till they dropped off to sleep. The last thing they saw as slumber closed their eyes was that which meant most to them in the entire world, each other. It was no surprise then when that night they dreamed of one another.

-oOo-

Winter's cold stare thawed and gave way before the warm breath of spring. The school year marched on and January brought with it the yearly Yamayurikai elections. This year, as with many others, the incumbents won and would be the next Roses. It had been touch and go for a while as at first Noriko was not inclined to run in the election, seeing no need to do so with Shimako graduating and moving on to Lillian's Woman's University. When questioned about her Petite Sœur, Shimako just smiled serenely and replied, "Noriko will do what's right for Noriko. If she wants to run she will and if she doesn't then there will be a new Rosa Gigantea one way or another." In the end the petite black haired girl realized that people were counting on her and she couldn't let them down and so she changed her mind, running for office instead.

The river known as time flowed on and January's byways trickled out into February which brought with it the Bouton Treasure Hunt event. Shimako had been sitting alone in the Rose Mansion the day prior to the event itself, enjoying a cup of Darjeeling tea, when she heard the front door to the Rose Mansion bang open loudly and a quick and heavy tread upon the stairs. Suddenly Touko burst into the room out of breath and with a fine sheen of sweat upon her brow. Touko exclaimed upon seeing the older girl seated at the table "Gokigenyou , Rosa Gigantea!" The Rose Chinensis en Bouton quickly adjusted her pleats and made certain her scarf and sailor's collar were in their proper places. "You need to do something about, Noriko," Yumi's own Petite Sœur exclaimed.

"About Noriko you say?" inquired the current Rosa Gigantea setting her cup of tea back upon the table as she had been right in the midst of taking a sip when Touko had burst into the room. Upon hearing her little sister's name the older girl turned in her seat to face Touko directly. "Is there a problem with Noriko?"

Touko nodded, her trademark spiral curls dancing menacingly about her face. "She needs more exercise or something. She is getting slower and slower every day," Touko went on to explain. Their last class had been outdoors and the two of them raced to the Rose Mansion afterwards, not having cleaning duty this week. "I used to be hard pressed to keep up with her but these days she's not even a challenge!"

"Touko!" Both girls within the meeting room looked at each other as if they had been caught with their hand in the proverbial cookie jar upon hearing the voice of Noriko, whom they had just been discussing, resounding from upon the stairs and drawing closer. "I heard that," Noriko exclaimed just before she walked through the door herself. Noriko's face was red and covered in sweat. Her shoulders rose and fell like the great billow of some forge, as they drew in the air her lungs greatly craved.

"Noriko, are you alright?" Shimako inquired in a concerned voice upon seeing her Petite Sœur in such a state. Not waiting for a forth coming answer, the older woman arose and quickly guided Noriko to a chair at the large table. Once she had the flushed girl seated she crossed to the kitchenette area and drew a glass of water for the winded girl. She quickly returned to the seated second year classman and handed the glass to her. "Drink some water," she encouraged.

"I'll be alright," Noriko assured her Onee-sama as she took the offered glass of water from her with a thankful smile. The Bouton took two large gulps of the water and promptly started to choke and cough it all over the older girl who stood before her. Touko, who had been standing near looking concerned for her dear friend, reached over and started to pat the choking girls back while Shimako tried to make certain that Noriko's hair didn't get in the way and wet as well. "Shimako-san! I'm so sorry," exclaimed the mortified girl once her choking fit had passed. Upon seeing the Shimako's wet uniform before her Noriko hung her head as her cheeks turned what she was certain was a bright strawberry red from the feel of the heat rising in them.

Shimako slipped a handkerchief from her pocket with one hand while she reached out and gently, yet insistently, raised the smaller girls chin till she could see her face once more. Reaching forward she began to wipe away the water on Noriko's face before she replied with, "It's alright Noriko. There's no harm done." Touko, sensing that perhaps the white rose sisters needed a moment, moved off and started to prepare tea for the three of them.

"I feel like such a fool," Noriko replied in a dejected voice as she tried to drop her head again however Shimako's hold upon her chin stopped her from doing so.

"Well then I am just glad that I am here to take care of you, Noriko." Shimako regarded her for a long moment before adding with a warm and loving smile. "If you are a fool, then I'm glad that you're my fool."

"Onee-sama," Noriko said softly upon hearing her words and the love within them. Looking up her brown eyes found those of grey and looked lovingly into them. "I want to take care of you too, Shimako-san," Noriko blurted out before she could stop herself.

Shimako smiled and tapped the end of Noriko's nose causing it to twitch. "Are you certain of that?" she inquired, to which the dark haired bouton nodded vigorously. "I think you already do, my Noriko," she confessed knowing that the girl before her loved her and that was all she really needed. "Please take good care of me, Noriko."

The petite second year student tilted her head slightly to one side as her lips slipped back into a smile filled with love. "I will Onee-sama, just till tomorrow comes." Shimako reached out and gently caressed the cheek of her Petite Sœur who was most precious to her. Her heart was warmed by just those few words that were hers and hers alone. Touko brought them both tea and the three sat and spoke for a while before calling it a day and heading home.

-oOo-

The warm winds of spring gently blew through February and into March bringing with them the smell of renewed growth as well as the graduation of a new class from Lillian Girl's Academy. Noriko, Nana and Touko gave the farewell address and, aside from Noriko tripping when climbing the stairs to the stage and nearly falling, all went as planned. In keeping with their own personal brand of tradition the farewell address response was given by Yumi, Yoshino and Shimako, united one last time before the student body. As in previous years, Tsutako was on hand to take pictures of the occasion though this year she was forced to be in many of the pictures herself as the departing Roses had requested a member of the photography club be present as well. The farewells were no less tearful than any other year when the Roses in full bloom were pruned to make way for the rose buds that were just now coming into their own.

March flowed into April as has happened and will continue to transpire since time began. The trees came into bloom and soon the Sakura were full and pink. Shimako smiled feeling the gentle breeze upon her face as she stood before the large Sakura tree that stood alone among the gingko trees. It was here that she had accepted Sei-sama's rosary and became that remarkable woman's Petite Sœur. Sei had known that she needed room. Room to figure out what she wanted, not what everyone else wanted for her. Her Onee-sama had done the one perfect thing she could do for her, she had left her alone to make her own way, her own decisions as well as her own mistakes, which thankful had been few and far between. Onee-sama and I are linked on many levels yet we're also strong enough to stand on our own. Because we know we are each strong we have no fears that the other will not be able to make it in whatever course they choose to follow in life. Our strength is our belief and trust in each other to do what we believe we should and how we should. Let each be onto himself, as an old saying went that she had heard once but couldn't remember where.

Noriko. Just thinking the girls' name caused her smile to change into a grin. My Noriko. Where would I be without you? Where her Onee-sama had utilized a hands-off approach, Noriko was just the opposite and was very much a hands-on type of girl. At first Shimako hadn't known what to make of the small, light touches. A finger gently touched upon the back of her hand to gather her attention. A brief brush of a shoulder against hers as the younger girl walked past. The soft almost hesitant hand upon her forearm while speaking to her to emphasize a point or issue. Nothing inappropriate or out of place but more like soft gentle reminders of the others presence orbiting around her. Those eyes. Always those eyes. They followed her everywhere she went and every move she made whenever the two of them were together in the same room. Those large, brown, moon filled, loved struck eyes that only saw her and her alone. She knew Yumi and Yoshino thought her blind for not seeing them but she did see them. Thinking about them at this moment made her skin tingle and her pulse race. How can anyone be deserving of that, she asked herself referring to the love and devotion she saw whenever she looked into Noriko's eyes. The petite girl, with the traditional beautiful doll features, gave her something she hadn't realized she needed till it was right there in front of her. Unconditional love. She was certain and without a doubt that she could grow three heads and six sets of eyes and Noriko would love her just as she did right now.

Hearing the soft tread behind her Shimako turned with a smile on her face as she opened her eyes to greet her Petite Sœur and chide her gently for being late. "Nori….," she started to say but then stopped as she saw it wasn't the small girl but rather Yumi. "Yumi-san?" Shimako couldn't hide her confusion upon seeing her former classmate who also went to Lillian University now, walking slowly towards her.

"Shimako-san," the brunette started with and then paused as she nervously clasped and un-clasped her hands before her. "Touko came and got me."

"Touko-chan?" Shimako took in her friend's nervousness and lack of customary greeting and welcoming smile Yumi was so well known for. There was suddenly a sinking feeling in the pit of the former Rosa Gigantea's stomach.

Closing the distance to her friend Yumi gently laid a comforting hand upon Shimako's forearm. "There's been an accident," she explained as she licked her suddenly dry lips. "It's Noriko."


	2. Chapter 2

Yumi didn't waste any time, not having all of the details, and simply took her friend by the hand and began walking her to the front entrance of the university campus. Upon arriving there, a large black sedan was waiting for them with Touko standing by the opened back door motioning for them to hurry. Yumi quickly slid into the back seat next to her Onee-sama, effectively dragging the concern ridden former Rosa Gigantea with her. Once Shimako was in the car and seated on the seat facing the Chinensis sisters, Touko slid in next to her, closing the door behind her. As soon as the door was closed the car pulled away from the curb and into the street.

"What happened?" Shimako directed her question to the petite Rosa Chinensis on the seat next to her. The three other women present could clearly hear the concern and worry in her voice as she asked after Noriko. A million and one questions ran through Shimako's worried filled mind as to the fate of the girl her heart beat for. So intense was her worry that it nearly made her ill and it was only through a supreme effort of will that she asked only the one question rather than the torrent of them that strained to slip past her carefully guarded lips.

Touko turned slightly on the seat to more directly face the woman next to her. "I wish I knew for certain, Shimako-sama. I wasn't actually there for it so all I have are what I assume are second hand accounts from others." Touko hesitated knowing that false accounts would probably just cause the woman next to her to worry all the more and so she was uncertain if she should say anything at all.

"I understand, Touko-chan," Shimako said in a quiet voice to the girl as she laid a gentle hand on the forearm of Yumi's little sister. "Please tell me what you have heard; even knowing it may be false." Shimako's grey eyes pleaded with the small girl for any information relating to her little sister and Touko's fellow Rose.

Touko stared with concern at the older woman for a long moment before answering her. "Several of our classmates came to the Rose Mansion looking for me, as they knew Noriko and I are close friends. They related to me that Noriko had tripped and fallen down a flight of stairs and had been injured." Touko paused and shot a quick glance towards Yumi as if looking for support. Yumi smiled reassuringly and nodded slightly. "It was the outside stairs," Touko clarified as she looked back to Shimako next to her. Outside stairs? Shimako's mind whirled as she tried to remember the significance of that but was hindered by her concerns for Noriko which traipsed through her mind making it difficult to think clearly. "The girls told me there was a lot of blood and that she was bleeding pretty badly," Touko continued with reluctantly. "The School called 119 and a medical emergency vehicle arrived which took Noriko to the nearest hospital I was told."

Outside stairs. In Shimako's mind a sudden image of the stairs came into view, stairs she herself had used countless times while attending school at Lillian Girl's Academy. They were open and exposed to the elements and were constructed to endure wet as well as cold weather. The stairs were therefor made from concrete with re-enforced steel edging to prevent wear from all the foot traffic they were witness to. The railing was likewise made of steel tubing that prevented a person from falling through to the next floor. Unlike the wooden indoor stairs, these were much harder and a fall upon them was certain to inflict injury, perhaps even severe if landing wrongly or hitting one's head. "Thank you, Touko-chan," Shimako heard herself reply as the small girl finished her report.

"I'm sure she'll be alright, Shimako," Ogasawara Sachiko offered encouragingly from her seat next to Yumi, who smiled and nodded in agreement with her Onee-sama. "Noriko is young and strong," the second year Lillian University student continued with. "They probably just took her to the hospital as a precaution."

"Perhaps you're right," Shimako replied with as she sat back in her seat having suddenly realized she had been sitting upon the edge of it all this time. "Noriko would no doubt laugh at me for getting all worked up over something that is probably nothing." With an almost visible effort Shimako calmed herself and once again carried the air of serenity for which she had come to be known for her entire tenure in high school.

"Once we get there you'll see, Shimako-san," Yumi offered trying to be supportive of her friend. "She'll probably be ready to go home and we can offer her a ride."

Shimako smiled warmly at Yumi, appreciating her support as well as the support of the others in the car with her, yet she knew her heart wouldn't know rest till she had seen for herself. "Thank you, Sachiko-sama, for the use of your car and transportation to the hospital. I hope I have not inconvenienced you in any manner?"

Sachiko raised one hand and waved it as if in dismissal of Shimako's words. "It is the least I can do, Shimako. Noriko is our friend too, just as you are." The sedan turned into the drive for the hospital in a few minutes and paused long enough for the four women to disembark. "I'll call you when we're ready to leave," Sachiko informed the driver before turning and following the other three into the emergency room waiting area.

The four of them stepped to the counter when it was their turn and inquired after their friend. A quick look and the emergency room records showed that there was no Nijō Noriko present currently within the emergency room. The nurse behind the counter told them that she would look into the matter and asked that they have a seat as she would call them when she had further information for them. Time never passes so slowly as when you're in a hurry. Before long Touko stood and started pacing back and forth. "What's taking them so long?" Concern for her dear friend had made her impatient and a little irritable as well.

"Touko, I'm sure they're doing all they can to locate her," Yumi said to her Petite Sœur hoping to calm the younger girl who was still dressed in her Lillian high school uniform. The look Touko shot back at her told her in no uncertain terms that the banana curled girl didn't believe a word she had just heard.

Sachiko spoke up and tried her hand at reining in her cousin's temper, "Touko-chan, it's not very lady like to pace back and forth." The older woman's words seemed to have the opposite effect though.

"If this was Sofu's hospital we would have had the information a while ago," the small fiery brunette shot back without thinking as her temper and concern for her dear friend got the better of her. Coming to a stop she turned and craned her neck in the most unladylike of fashions towards the counter to see if the nurse was working to locate their misplaced friend. "Where can she be?" Touko mumbled under her breath.

Seeing the agitated expression on Sachiko's face Yumi quickly rose and crossed the short distance to her Petite Sœur and, walking up behind the smaller girl, slipped her arms around her while drawing Touko into a warm embrace. Within her arms Yumi felt Touko stiffen and then slowly relax into her hug. "We're all worried for her, Touko," Yumi spoke softly into the younger girl's ear. "They'll find her and then we'll go see her and everything will be fine," were the reassuring words Yumi offered the small woman in her arms.

Turning her head slightly, so that her forehead snuggled into the crook of Yumi's neck just under the taller woman's chin, Touko replied, "I know Onee-sama," a sad sigh escaping her lips. "I'm just so worried about her." Yumi, having no answer for her little sisters worries, simply held her close lending her what strength she could by her mere presence alone. Long moments passed as they waited but eventually Touko extracted herself from Yumi's arms, settling to capture one of her Onee-sama's hands instead and entwine their finger securely. Stepping to the side of Yumi, Touko faced Sachiko who regarded them with a gentle smile on her own face. "I'm sorry Sachiko-sama for snapping at you as I did. It was very rude of me to have done so," she offered in way of apology to her cousin.

"I understand, Touko-chan" Sachiko replied gently accepting the offered apology. "We're all worried for our friend, Noriko-chan."

The four of them settled in to waiting. Touko, without relinquishing her hold upon Yumi's hand, took a seat next to the brunette with pigtails and settled for tapping her foot repeatedly upon the carpet instead of the pacing she had been doing. After some time the nurse called them over and explained what the delay had been. Noriko was no longer in the emergency room but had rather been admitted to the hospital itself. It had taken the nurse some time to track down exactly which room Noriko was in which is what had delayed her getting back to them sooner. The four of them thanked the nurse and then quickly made their way to the elevators to go to the proper floor the room their friend was staying in was on.

"Perhaps it would be best if you went in alone, Shimako," Sachiko offered once they had located the room and were standing outside it. "It might be a little overwhelming to have us all descending upon her at once so soon after the accident."

Shimako looked to the three of them, "If you're sure," she asked to which Yumi and Touko, still joined at the hands, nodded their agreement. "Alright then," Shimako agreed. Turning, the first year university student visibly squared her shoulders and then took a deep breath to calm herself before reaching out and pushing open the door to the room.

Noriko was propped up in the hospital bed which was tilted up so that she could recline comfortably. The dark haired girl's head was bandaged with gauze and her eyes were closed as her chest rose and fell slowly. There were monitors and wires connected to her as well as an IV that was dripping some fluid into a catcher that then fed into the small girl's arm by the connected tubing. To the untrained eyes of the light haired woman it appeared as though the patient was near deaths door and she felt a sharp sudden pain deep within her chest. A nurse who was in the room writing down vital signs from the monitors looked up as she heard the door open. "I'm sorry Miss but you can't be in here," she told Shimako.

"Onee-sama!" Noriko gasped from the bed as her eyes opened and she beheld Shimako standing in the doorway with a pale and frightened look upon her face.

"Noriko!" Shimako gasped in a stricken voice and flew to the bedside where she stopped just short of taking the girl into her arms, too fearful to reach out and touch the girl laying there.

The nurse, seeing the love clearly in Shimako's eyes as she looked at the smaller girl and having heard her addressed as 'Onee-sama' came to the conclusion that the two were related. "The hospital called your aunt and she is on her way here," she told the two of them as she wrote the last vital signs down and then made to leave. "Not too long," she cautioned Shimako after tapping her on the shoulder to get her attention. "She had a nasty spill and needs her rest." Shimako nodded slightly never removing her eyes from Noriko's face. The nurse let herself out only to be jumped by the three women waiting out in the hall, desperate for information concerning their friend within.

"I…I thought…," Shimako began with and then had to stop as her throat became choked with emotion at what she had thought. What would I ever do if I lost you? The thought itself was almost too painful for her to bear. Upon first seeing the girl that meant so much to her lying in the bed when she had opened the door to the room, she had feared the worst. Tentatively she reached out with one hand towards the bed ridden girl.

Noriko reached out and met her Onee-sama's hand, palm to palm, before entwining their fingers together tenderly. "I'm alright, Shimako-san," she said. Seeing those soft grey eyes before her shimmering with tears was more painful to her than the fall she had taken earlier. "Really."

"I was so afraid…," Shimako admitted in a soft voice, to herself as well as to the girl whose hand she held, as a single tear slipped her serenity and made a slow but steady track down her smooth cheek. The dark haired girl holding her hand eyes suddenly filled with tears which began to trickle down Noriko's cheeks as Shimako watched. "Crybaby," she chided teasingly with a small smile, using one of Touko's favorite terms for Noriko. The levity broke the spell between the two of them and without knowing who moved first the smaller girl was within the protective arms of the older one as they comforted each other. "I thought I'd lost you," Shimako breathed into the bandaged wrapped head held lovingly to her chest.

Noriko sniffled loudly with her arms around the older girl's waist that leaned over her bed to better be able to hold her close. "It's not tomorrow yet, Shimako-san," was the eventual reply. "Besides, I want to grow old beside you so I'm not going any place."

Shimako smiled gently at her little sisters words as an image of them old with white hair, wrinkles and hearing problems came to mind. Gently kissing the gauze wrapped head once, she straightened up allowing the other girl to slip from her arms for the moment so she could look at her. "You will Noriko. We'll grow old together," she assured the girl before her. "However right now, if you're up to it, there are three very wonderful friends waiting out in the hall that I am certain would love to see for themselves that you're alright." Seeing the puzzled look on Noriko's face she quickly explained how she arrived at the hospital.

Shimako allowed the others into the room briefly so that they could see Noriko. There were many smiles and wishes for a fast recovery. When asked what happened, as none of them were present at the time, Noriko confessed that she wasn't exactly certain. "I was going down the stairs when it felt like something was holding my foot or it was stuck as I couldn't move it. Before I knew it I had lost my balance and tumbled down the stairs." Expressions of concern, as well as looks of sympathy, swept across the faces of those in the room listening intently to her words. "I hit my head on the edge of the stair or the guardrail, I'm not certain which but they said it took five stitches right at the hairline to close me up." Noriko went on to explain that as the gash was on the scalp that was why there had been so much blood. "They're just keeping me overnight for observation because I also have a rather large lump on the side of my head."

After many minutes Sachiko said her goodbyes quickly followed by Yumi who realized the importance of their friend getting her rest. Touko gave Noriko a gentle hug then gazed sternly at her dearest friend. "Don't you ever scare me like that again!" Touko huffed. "I mean really, making us all drop whatever we were doing and rush over here!"

"I'm sorry Touko," Noriko replied knowing that the gruff mannerism was just Touko's way of covering her true feeling. Noriko knew, without being told, that her friend really loved her and cared for her as deeply as she did for Touko. "I'll try to work my next accident into your schedule," The Rosa Gigantea replied with a disarming smile as soft chuckles were heard around the room. As the four women turned to leave Noriko called out, "Onee-sama," causing the bearer of that title to pause and turn back towards the occupant of the bed. "Do you think…," Noriko started to ask as her eyes dropped to her lap. "Do you think you could stay a while longer?"

Shimako turned back to the others. "Go on without me," she told them. "I'll catch a bus later," she assured them seeing their questioning looks. The others nodded in understanding and, led by Touko, followed by Sachiko and a trailing Yumi, they left the room. Shimako walked to the side of the bed and dragged over a chair near there and seated herself. Almost on que the two women reached for each other's hand. "So…" Shimako said as she took in a deep breath and then let it out quickly, her shoulders rising and falling, "…tell me about your day Rosa Gigantea."

The two women sat and talked quietly as their love filled eyes stared into each other's, saying far more than their words ever could. When Noriko's great aunt showed up she kissed the smaller girl affectionately before saying to Shimako, "I hope Riko hasn't been giving you too many problems, Shimako-chan?"

Riko was Noriko's great aunt's pet name for the small girl. "No more than would be expected from a little sister, Oba-sama," Shimako replied being well acquainted with the older woman already and knowing she was a Lillian alumna who would understand the reference.

"Shimako-san!" Noriko whined from the bed with a pouting look on her face. The older two women chuckled at the expression on Noriko's face which when coupled with the bandaged head looked rather comical. After the elder of the trio brought over a chair for herself, the three of them talked for a while, nothing of consequences, just quiet conversation between friends to pass the time. Eventually a nurse came in and told them it was time for them to leave so that Noriko could get some sleep.

Shimako leaned down and gathered the petite girl in her arms holding her close before saying goodbye. "I love you." She hadn't intended to say it but like a wiggling worm it had just slipped out of her grasp and past her lips. It was no secret between the two of them that they loved each other. They had lifted the lid off Pandora's box a long time ago, both finding no reason to deny what was clear to see in both of their eyes. Still, this was the very first time that Shimako had uttered those words in the presence of another.

Noriko's arms tightened around the older girl. "I love you too, Shimako-san," she replied into the shoulder her cheek rested against. They finished their goodbyes and Noriko's great aunt offered to drive Shimako home, which she accepted as it was getting late and she wasn't certain the buses would still be running to make it back to the temple where she lived.

"I'm so glad that Riko has someone to love her and look after her," the elder of the pair of them said after they had been on the road for a while. "With my sister and her husband being so far away in Chiba I know it hasn't been easy on her. I try to be a friend to her and while we've formed a special attachment for one another, it's still not the same as having someone closer to her own age."

"Noriko is such a special girl," Shimako replied in her usual calm manner. "I feel that I am the lucky one to have her with me. There are times I honestly don't know what I would do without her." The days accident had made her realize more than ever just how much the young girl meant to her, the amount of which had surprised even her.

"She's growing into a fine young woman," the aunt stated proudly. "No small part of which is due to you, Shimako-chan. Thank you for taking such good care of her." Shimako remained quiet at the praise, thankful for the darkness around them so that the blush she could feel rising in her cheeks wasn't visible. "I never would have thought my Riko would be going to Lillian and to be a Rose at that!"

Shimako couldn't help add with a touch of pride in her own voice, "She's a wonderful Rosa Gigantea, Oba-sama." The aunt just smiled and didn't say anything further. The remainder of the ride passed in quiet contemplation of the unexpectedness of life in general.

-oOo-

Several days passed, each day seeming to stretch on longer than the previous one as Shimako awaited word of Noriko's return to school. A week passed and still her little sister did not make an appearance. Shimako, concerned for the younger girl's health, had called and spoke to her Petite Sœur only to be informed that she wasn't feeling well and that was why she had not returned to school as yet. When the weekend arrived marking the tenth day since Noriko was released from the hospital Shimako decided to pay the bed ridden girl a visit. Several bus and train rides later she knocked upon the front door to a rather nice home only to have it answered by Noriko's great aunt herself.

"Shimako-chan! Thank goodness," the aunt greeted her with motioning for her to come in. "I was going to call you only to realize that I do not have your number."

"Is everything alright," Shimako inquired, concerned as always for the girl she came to see. "How's Noriko?"

"Riko is fine…or at least I think she is," replied the elder woman a bit anxiously. "I can't get her to get out of bed," the exasperated woman finally confessed. "Do you think you could talk to her?

"I'll do my best," Shimako informed the older woman before she turned and made her way upstairs. Having been to the house many times over the past year she knew where Noriko's room was. Arriving before the door to said room she knocked gently upon it before opening the door and sticking her head in. "Noriko," she called softly, not wanting to wake the girl if she should be sleeping currently.

"Shimako-san," the older girl heard come from the bed in a surprised tone.

"I hope you don't mind my unexpected visit," Shimako explained as she stepped into the room. The curtains were closed making the room gloomy and near dark. "I missed you and so I decided to come visit you. The thought of you sitting up in here all by yourself just wouldn't do." As she was talking Shimako walked to the curtains and opened them, pinning them back on each side of the window before opening the window itself. It was a beautiful warm sunny day outside and she wanted to let the sunlight in that it might brighten the girl resting in the bed. Turning back towards the bed she could now clearly see the petite girl propped up with a number of pillows. "Will you come and sit with me," Shimako inquired pointing to a small couch situated near where she was standing.

Noriko looked from her Onee-sama to the couch and then to her own bed before replying. "I...I can't." Shimako was both shocked and dismayed by the girls response and this must have shown clearly on her face. "It's not that I don't want to. I just can't move my legs."

"I'm not sure what you mean, Noriko," Shimako said as she moved towards the bed and the girl situated within it. "Why can't you move your legs?"

"I can move them," the younger girl clarified rapidly. "It just takes a great deal of effort to do so. It feels like they're incased in lead or something," she added as she pulled back the covers for Shimako to see. "I've tried but I can barely stand on my own," Noriko confided in her Onee-sama. "I think maybe that bump on my head may have done something. I didn't want to be a bother and hoped that it would just pass in time."

"I see," Shimako regarded the other girl's legs for a long moment but other than looking slightly swollen they appeared normal to her. "Wait right here, Noriko," Shimako instructed as she turned and headed for the door to the bed room. "I'll have your Aunt arrange for a car so we can take you to the hospital."

"Wait!" The amount of fear in Noriko's voice stopped Shimako in her tracks more than the cry to wait. Turning she walked back to the bed and took Noriko's hand in hers in an attempt to reassure the frightened girl. "I'm scared, Shimako-san. Will you go with me?"

Shimako smiled tenderly and leaned in to gently kiss Noriko's brow. "Just try and stop me," she said as she turned and walked from the room to speak with Noriko's great aunt. In short order they were on their way to the hospital once again.


	3. Chapter 3

"I feel like a pin cushion," Noriko commented aside to Shimako, who was seated in a chair next to her bed, as the latest in a string of nurses left the room. Shimako smiled and patted the smaller girl's arm comfortingly in way of response. With Noriko's great aunt's help they had gotten the bed-ridden girl dressed and downstairs into the car which brought them to the hospital. Once again she was admitted into the emergency room. A full workup of x-ray's were done while the other two waited outside anxiously. Numerous blood samples were taken and a throat culture was taken as well as other, more mundane, examinations. All they could do was sit back and await the results.

The hospital finally admitted her, placing her in a shared room with another woman that did little more than sleep it seemed. A team of white coat wearing doctors suddenly piled into the room and surrounded the bed in which Noriko was reclining. They began asking questions about the young girl's family and relatives. Were there any histories of unusual illness or sudden deaths? Thankfully Noriko's great aunt was there to answer the brunt of it as best she could. From what Shimako could tell there was nothing out of the ordinary. As quickly as the doctors came they left again, many with puzzled looks upon their faces.

"Shimako-chan," the oldest of the three of the women present said as she stood up and stepped to the bedside of her great niece. The day was growing long and evening had already fallen as the three had passed the time in idle conversation punctuated by moments of humor to stave off the fears of each of them. "I spoke with the head nurse," she stated as she leaned over and gave Noriko an affectionate kiss upon the brow. "As Riko is under age she's allowed to have someone stay with her," The former Lillian Alumna turned to regard the light haired woman who was even now looking at her with a curious expression upon her stunningly western features. "As you are her older sister it would be alright if you wanted to spend the night." Shimako's eyes grew large and Noriko actually squealed from her place in the bed. "You'll need to call and speak with your father though to get his approval," the elder lady said as she slipped a cell phone from her small purse and held it out to Shimako.

Accepting the phone, Shimako called the temple and then waited while her father was found. The light wavy haired woman explained the situation to her father and then listened to his response before saying her goodbye and dropping the call. Noriko and her aunt both remained quiet as Shimako handed the phone back across the bed and turned slightly to face her little sister. "Father asked that I convey his well wishes to you, Noriko. He said he would pray for your recovery." Shimako stood up and walked around the bed towards the older woman who watched her approach, stopping within a few feet of her, Shimako bowed deeply. "Thank you Oba-sama," she said before rising. "It looks like I will be staying the night," she finally said as a dazzling smile appeared upon her face and Noriko fist pumped the air.

After Noriko's great aunt departed Shimako sat in the chair next to Noriko's bed and their hands found one another once again. Grey eyes regarded the small perfect face before them with love and caring. The younger girl blushed under the intense gaze but refused to look away. Entranced by the delicate western features that sat before her, she felt her heart skip a beat and a warmth flood through her that had nothing to do with the slight blush she felt upon her youthful cheeks. "Shimako-san," Noriko finally spoke, breaking the silence that had hung in the room for some time now while their eyes spoke from their hearts. "Do you think you could get one of the nurses for me?"

"Is something wrong? Are you alright?" Shimako inquired instantly concerned for the smaller girl resounding in every word that past her lips.

"No…no...,"Noriko replied and then dropped her gaze into her lap but not before Shimako saw her Petite Sœur's cheeks suddenly turn a lovely shade of scarlet. "I have to go to the bathroom," was the mumbled conclusion from the bed after a long moment.

"Well then," Shimako said in a serious tone of voice, "I can assist you with that."

Noriko's head shot up upon hearing her words. "No!" The mere thought of Shimako helping her do that mortified her to no end. "A nurse will do fine, Shimako-san."

Shimako rested both her hands gently in her lap and tilted her head slightly off center and regarded the girl with her for one long silent moment. "So a complete stranger will do where as your Onee-sama will not?"

"That's not what I meant," Noriko quickly retaliated with in her defense knowing she was being backed into a corner.

"Well then which will it be, Noriko?" Shimako continued on, driving home her point. "A complete stranger or someone you know and trust?" Seeing her Petite Sœur waver in her decision Shimako nudged her towards the conclusion she wished for by asking, "Please let me help you, Noriko." Torn between disappointing the woman that meant the world to her and being embarrassed she chose the latter of the two and allowed Shimako to help her to the bathroom.

The rest of the evening passed uneventfully and soon it was time for them both to sleep. Shimako reclined the chair she had been sitting in and adjusted a blanket which one of the nurses had been kind enough to bring her. Closing her eyes she said a silent prayer for Noriko and then tried to set her own worries aside and sleep.

"Shimako-san," was the soft inquiry from the bed as Noriko turned her head to see the other girl lying in the chair. Shimako opened her eyes and smiled softly at the dark haired girl in way of answer. "I can't sleep."

Shimako stood up, having found it difficult to fall asleep herself, and assessed the situation. Reaching down she gently pushed the other girl's hips toward the far side of the bed and then did the same for her legs and feet. "Scoot over," she instructed. Noriko, realizing what she was doing, quickly complied. Once there was room Shimako situated herself in the bed so that she was lying on her side facing Noriko who quickly scooted back over and snuggled in. "Better?" Shimako asked as she felt the smaller girl nuzzle affectionately into her bosom.

Noriko smiled feeling the warmth of the woman next to her even as Shimako's aura of calmness seemed to settle over her. Reaching across her body she took Shimako's hand in hers and entwined their fingers together, laying their joined hands a top the blanket which covered her stomach. "Much better," she finally replied as she felt Shimako's other arm snake around her head to land softly along her other side. "Tell me about the cherry blossoms as I missed them this year."

Shimako smiled softly as she laid her head upon her shoulder and kissed the crown of the head that was snuggled in close to her. "This year there were even more of them than last year," she began with. "In the afternoon sun the Sakura trees seems to shimmer and glow with a light pink corona that was all their own." Lured by the soft steady tones of her Onee-sama's voice the young Rosa Gigantea slowly slipped into slumber. Sometime later when the night nurse came in to check vitals she found the two sleeping girls snuggled together with their hands still joined. Taking the blanket from the chair next to the bed she gently covered the two of them before slipping quietly from the room.

-oOo-

The following day the attendants arrived bright and early to roll Noriko from the room. The small girl was first subjected to a CAT scan and then taken for a full body MRI. It was late in the morning before Noriko was finally brought back to a very anxiously waiting Shimako. Once the bed was in place, and the attendants had left, the nurses arrived to reconnect everything. Finally the last of them left and Shimako stepped to the bedside having tried to stay out of everyone's way during the entire parade of people in and out of the room. "How are you, Noriko," she inquired but before the first word had even left her lips the smaller girl was reaching for her and tumbled into her arms as her tiny frame shook with soft stuttering sobs.

"Shimako-san," she bewailed between indrawn breaths as she clung to woman and cried. "It was terrible!" Long moments passed as Shimako tried to comfort the trembling girl in her arms. Finally Noriko managed to regain control of herself enough to sit back in her bed. The dark haired beauty's eyes were swollen and shimmered yet with unshed tears as she regained her composure.

Reaching into her pocket Shimako extracted a white handkerchief before sitting on the edge of the bed and then tending to the tear streaked face before her. "Do you want to talk about it," she gently probed as she wiped away the tears.

Noriko nodded hesitantly and reached for Shimako's hand as if it were the only lifeline left to her in a world that had suddenly turned dark and frightening. "They had me lay on this table," the small girl began with her words stumbling over themselves at first. Shimako gave a gentle squeeze to the hands within hers and it seemed to calm the distressed girl residing in the bed. "The table then was pulled into this machine and they placed this thing over my head." Shimako felt the hands in hers begin to shake as Noriko vividly recalled the experience from not all that long ago. "They said I wasn't to swallow or move at all. I tried! I really did," the petite black hair girl cried even as tears began to trickle down her cheeks once more. "I…I couldn't breathe in there. I felt like I was trapped."

Shimako released the hands in hers and gathered up her little sister once more within her arms, her heart going out to the girl upon feeling her trembling. "Shhh my Noriko," Shimako gently soothed her. "It's alright now. It's over with and you're back in your room now. I'm here with you now."

"I'm afraid that's not actually correct," said a female voice from the doorway to the room. Both women looked over to see a woman in a white doctor's coat standing there with a medical chart in hand. Short cropped black hair and traditional Japanese features with warm brown eyes stared back at them. "I'm afraid we'll have to try again tomorrow with Nijō-san and the MRI." The woman crossed the room to stand at the foot of the bed. "I'm Dr. Ito," she introduced herself with a warm and caring smile.

Noriko didn't return the smile upon hearing she would have to try the MRI again tomorrow. As she wiped at the tears still upon her cheeks she asked, "So you're the unlucky one to draw my case?"

"Unlucky? On the contrary, I requested it," replied the doctor with an infectious grin that reminded both girls of Sei-sama for some reason. "I like a good challenge and you, if nothing else, are certainly that!"

"Ito-sensei," Shimako suddenly spoke up as a thought occurred to her. "I may have a solution to the problem of the MRI." Shimako quickly explained her thoughts based off of the previous night's events. Upon hearing her words Noriko was excited and willing to give it a try. Both younger women looked expectantly to the doctor as she thought it over.

"It's highly unusual," Ito-sensei commented. "However if it will help Nijō-san relax and get through it then I am willing to give it a try."

The next morning saw the small girl once again upon the table and loaded into the MRI machine. "Noriko, can you hear me?" Shimako spoke softly into the microphone before her. From the small speaker close at hand she heard her little sister reply back that she could. "Alight then, listen to the sound of my voice. I'm right here with you. I won't leave you alone," she promised in her most sincere and calming of tones. Looking to the technicians she received a nod that they were ready to begin. "Alright they are going to start. Try to lay as still as possible," Shimako instructed her. "Noriko, do you recall that small shine we visited last summer before we went to see Yumi-san at the Ogasawara summer home?" Shimako's soft voice rolled on, calming the smaller girl's fears, as she recounted memories of all the trips they had taken to visit one Buddhist shrine or another. When those tales were exhausted she turned to memories of high school and the time they spent at the Rose Mansion together with their friends. In this manner Noriko was able to abide the confined space and finish the MRI.

-oOo-

The days began to roll past and pile up behind them it seemed. The list of tests and discarded causes of Noriko's affliction increased and still they were no closer to determining what the petite girl's problem was. Every morning a team of doctors, headed by Ito-sensei, would arrive to tell them what it wasn't. They would take Noriko from her bed and make her walk with an orderly on each arm. The first day they had done this the dark haired girl had broken down and cried she was so happy to be walking again even if it was with assistance. Through it all Shimako was there by her side, solid and unyielding in her support of her little sister. The single solid constant point of reference in the young girl's life that had so rapidly changed from the quiet third year of high school she thought she would be having. When Noriko returned from a spinal tap procedure, where spinal fluid was withdrawn for analyzing, Shimako encouraged the smaller girl upon seeing Noriko trying to put a brave face on for her Onee-sama, even though the procedure had left a large bruise on her lower back. Shimako held the crying girl who was wracked with pain when she returned from her second spinal tap due to the first one being inconclusive. Eventually she was given a pain killer and drained from the ordeal fell into a fitful slumber. Shimako sat on her bed and held her the entire time.

One week turned into two and still there were no answers. Shimako had called the university, and requested a leave of absence for the semester, feeling that it was far more important to be where she was. The only time the light haired woman left Noriko's side was when the nurse would come in to bathe the bed-ridden girl. Noriko, not ready for the older girl to see her as such, had declined Shimako's offer to do even this for her. It was during these times that Shimako herself left the hospital and walked a block down the street to a public bath house and cleaned herself up. Early on she had asked, though it pained her to have to impose upon her friends, Yumi and Yoshino to bring her some items that she needed so that she herself would not have to leave the young girls side. Her former classmates visited often to help bolster not only Noriko's spirits but their friends as well. Sachiko came once or twice with Yumi and even Rei-sama dropped in once while home on a short break from university. Seeing all their friends caring so much for her Petite Sœur just made her love them all the more.

"And then they placed this pin in my thigh," Noriko said excitedly recounting to Shimako the latest test she had undergone. "Then the technician pushed a button or something and my leg moved on its own!" Shimako smiled; happy to see the other girl in such high spirits given everything she had been through over the last two weeks. "It was the strangest feeling to see it move without me telling it to." The dark haired girl shook her head from side to side causing the shoulder length hair to sway back and forth in a manner Shimako found adorable. "It's a beautiful day out," Noriko sighed softly as she looked out the window at the sunshine and the clear blue sky. "I wish I could be out there."

Shimako sat up straight upon hearing those words and the longing within them. "Wait right here," she instructed the bed ridden girl as she stood up quickly and hurried from the room. Several long minutes passed for the anxious girl in the bed when suddenly Shimako reappear pushing a wheelchair. "Your chariot awaits," the older girl proclaimed with a soft gentle smile.

"Shimako-san," Noriko stammered, torn between wanting to be outside and not wanting to do anything they might get in trouble for. "Are you sure it's alright?"

"I spoke with the nurse and she called and spoke to Ito-sensei who said it should be alright," Shimako assured her. No sooner did the light haired woman explain this than an orderly arrived to assist Noriko into the chair. Once seated and situated as well as covered with a light blanket they both thanked the nice woman who relinquished the wheelchair into Shimako's care.

"Thank you, Shimako-san," the seated girl offered over her shoulder in way of thanks as they made their way down the hallway. "I'm sorry for being such a bother."

"You're welcome, Noriko," Shimako said with a soft smile. "Though I am certain that were our positions reversed you would do the same for me."

Noriko grinned and nodded that she would as they rolled through an open door and out onto an enclosed patio set aside specifically for patients at the hospital. As the sunshine washed over her, enveloping her body in its warmth, she smiled and visibly relaxed. "That feels wonderful," Noriko said in a soft and dreamy voice. Shimako, after bringing over a chair and seating herself, had to admit that the warm sunshine did feel good.

For the next several days the two girls would come to the patio and enjoy the sunshine and just being outside. It was a pleasant change from sitting in the sterile hospital room for the entire day. It was while they were out on the patio that a nurse came and asked them to return to the room as Noriko's doctor, Ito-sensei, wanted to see her. Shimako quickly turned the wheelchair around and wheeled the smaller girl back to her room. When they arrived there Shimako saw Noriko's great aunt was there with a woman and man. It was clear to see from the resemblance that the woman was Noriko's mother which meant that the man had to be her father.

"Mother? Father? " Noriko said in surprise confirming the other girls suspicions. "What are the two of you doing here?" The dark haired girl knew that her father was a minor government official and her mother was a school teacher which meant that it was near impossible for them to get time away from work. Noriko's mother whimpered and hastily raised a handkerchief to her eyes to catch the tears that were leaking from them as she turned and buried her face into her husband's shoulder. The elder Nijō did his best to comfort his wife while offering a weak smile to his daughter in way of greeting. Noriko, more puzzled than concerned, looked to her great aunt.

"Riko, why don't we get you back into your bed," she said with a nod to Shimako. "Once you're comfortable we can then see about answering your questions."

Shimako helped her little sister back into bed, lifting her legs and placing them under the covers and then tucked her in, insuring she was comfortable before wheeling the chair out into the hallway. "I think I shall take my leave now," Shimako said feeling that this was most certainly a family moment and not wishing to intrude.

"I wish you would stay," Ito-sensei suddenly said from behind the light haired woman before anyone else could say anything. "If that's alright with the family of course," she added moving her eyes from Shimako, who had turned to face her upon hearing her voice, to the adults present.

"Shimako-chan, please take a seat by Riko," Noriko's great aunt said motioning not to the chair but rather to the bed where the petite girl was resting. Shimako hesitantly complied and sat on the bed next to the girl that meant the world to her. The older girl's arms unconsciously wrapped themselves around the younger girl protectively even as Noriko leaned back into the embrace welcoming its support and comfort.

Ito-sensei, after closing the door to the room, came and sat on the foot of the bed facing the two youngest girls in the room. "I've already spoken with your great aunt as well as your parents concerning your condition and a treatment plan moving forward," Ito-sensei informed them.

"So you've determined what is wrong with me," Noriko asked both needing to know as well as being fearful of the answer.

Ito-sensei nodded once and then licked her suddenly dry lips before continuing. "The last set of tests confirmed it. What you have is called Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS for short. It's something that usually appears in older people," she continued to explain. "Which is why it took us so long to determine it was the cause of your affliction. While it is not unheard of for younger people such as you to have it, it is highly rare though. The Electromyogram we did a few days back is what finally pointed us in the right direction. The deep muscle nerves didn't respond as they should have."

"Sensei, what is ALS and how do we treat it," Noriko inquired as she felt Shimako's arms tighten reassuringly around her, telling her that she was not alone. "How did I catch it?"

Ito-sensei shrugged slightly as she replied. "We're not certain how people contract it. A small percentage, only ten percent or so, get it from their genes. Usually when someone else in their family had it and provided the genetic marker which was then passed down to them. There's still a great deal we don't know about ALS," she admitted. "As for what it is, the neurons which send the electrical pulses to your muscles begin to breakdown and stop functioning. This leads to weak muscles, twitching and then the inability to move those muscles at all. I've already prescribed a prescription of Riluzole to slow the spread of it to other muscle groups. So we'll get that started just as soon as possible."

"Sensei," Shimako spoke up with a mouth that had suddenly gone dry. "You said this Riluzole would slow the spread of it. Will it not cure it as well?"

Ito-sensei glanced at the other adults before dropping a comforting hand to Noriko's leg. "Riluzole will only slow it. There is no known medical cure for ALS," she stated though it pained her to have to do so. It only took the two girls a moment to realize that meant that sooner or later the muscles that controlled Noriko's breathing would cease to function. "I'm very sorry," she offered to Noriko who mutely nodded. Ito-sensei stood with a sad expression on her face always hating to give anyone bad news but especially when they were so young and had so much life ahead of them. "We can talk more later about what to expect and what can be done," she said to the parents and great aunt before turning to leave.

"Sensei," Noriko suddenly said in a strained and hollow voice causing the doctor to pause and look back. "How...how long?"

"We can talk about that later when you've had some time," Ito replied.

"Please…'" Noriko near pleaded.

Ito sighed heavily glancing down at the floor for a long second before looking back up and meeting the young girls shimmering eyes. "Two…maybe three years," she finally answered before turning and leaving the room and allowing the door to close behind her.

Within her arms Shimako felt the girl who once seemed for vibrant and full of life and who now appeared so small and frail begin to tremble and shake as the first sob of despair escaped Noriko's lips as she turned within Shimako's arms and buried her face against her Onee-sama's chest. Shimako tried to console the inconsolable girl even as Noriko's great aunt worked to console the parents who openly cried within each other's arms. Shimako slowly rocked the petite girl back and forth while whispering soothing words and repeatedly telling her that she loved her in a soft steady litany as if that would make it all better. It was the hardest thing she had ever done to sit there and project a calm serenity while being strong for the small woman she loved when all she wanted to do was break down and cry herself and be held as her heart broke within her chest.

How long she sat there, dry eyed and softly speaking to the girl in her arms, she didn't know as time lost all meaning to her. "I love you Noriko. I love you with all my heart," became her litany as she rocked slowly back and forth with her arms wrapped around the petite girl protectively and her cheek resting lightly upon the crown of black hair. A tapping on her shoulder finally brought her awareness back to the room. "Oba-sama," she said in surprise once her eyes opened and focused upon the person trying to get her attention.

"Shimako-chan, I believe she's cried herself to sleep," Noriko's great aunt said. "We should lay her down and let her rest."

Numbly Shimako complied and helped ease the sleeping girl down and then pulled the covers up and tucked her in. "If you'll excuse me, I think I need to go use the bathroom," Shimako said to the elder woman. "Will you remain here just in case she wakes up? Thank you," Shimako said seeing the woman nod that she would. In a daze the light haired woman with western features walked past the bathroom in the room and slipped out into the hall, allowing the door to the room to close securely behind her. Taking a few steps forward she staggered and then leaned against the wall and slowly slide down it as her knees turned to jelly and refused to support her any longer. Squatting there with her arms wrapped around her legs and hugging them to her chest her carefully maintained serenity cracked and crumbled as tears streamed down her face and her shoulders shook with silent sobs of sorrow for the girl asleep in the room she had just left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In trying to write this chapter and express the emotions an event of this nature brings, I realized just how far short my ability as a writer falls from the reality of real life. It is nearly…no it is impossible to accurately portray the grief one feels upon hearing this news about someone you love. I can only try to imagine what it must mean to be the recipient of such new directly while desperately praying in my heart that I never need to learn firsthand.
> 
> In the story description I dedicated this tale to my cousin Cheri. During a recent trip back home I was on hand when Cheri was diagnosed with ALS which is also known as Lou Gehrig Disease. Cheri, who is only a month younger than myself, and I grew up together and have always been close. If you were to look within the dictionary under "Good People" you'd find her at the front of the list. Quick to laughter, slow to anger, always with a helping hand to lend before even being asked. Smart, pretty, intelligent, popular…as an adolescent I wanted to be more like her, as an adult I'm sadly glad I'm not for a purely selfish reason. The good ones, those that shine the brightest are also usually the ones that burn out the quickest and are taken from us far sooner than anyone would like. Cheri, who will always be my friend, my confidant, my go to person when I need my spirits lifted…who will always be in my heart, more sister than cousin.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hurry up Shimako-san!" The woman called upon, with her distinctly western features and light wavy brown hair, smiled as she continued down the paved walkway in a more refined and dignified manner than her Petite Sœur who currently raced ahead of her. It had already been two months since they, sitting together on the bed with Shimako's arms wrapped around the smaller girl, had received the devastating news. Even now she could clearly recall Ito-sensei's answers to Noriko's pleading question. 'Two…maybe three years.' Shimako's breath caught in her throat and her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, recalling what was without a doubt the darkest day in her life and the life of the woman she loved. Ahead of her Shimako watched the back of the dark haired woman's head as it bobbed slightly up and down as the petite girl's arms worked to propel the wheelchair she was now confined to. While her Noriko could stand, and even walk with assistance, it was much more expedient to use the wheelchair when being out. Sternly chiding herself, the woman trailing behind the smaller girl shook off the dark thoughts which threatened to place a damper on their day. The warm days of summer where here, the sun was shining, and the two of them were determined to enjoy the sunshine.

For several days after receiving the news, the small girl had dropped into a deep and dark depression from which even the loving ministrations of her Onee-sama were not sufficient to pull her out of. The new treatment of Riluzole, used to slow the spread of her ALS, left her tired and with stomach pains which did little to encourage her to eat. After five days Dr. Ito informed her that she was being discharged the next day and could return home. There would be regular visits and additional tests to determine how fast her ALS was spreading as well as how effective the Riluzole was in slowing the spread but these could, for the most part, be done as outpatient visits. It was later that evening when Noriko sat up suddenly in her bed and looked at the four adults who equally looked at her with expressions of concern and sympathy. "I want you all to leave," she suddenly said.

"Riko," Noriko's great aunt responded first in a quiet voice tainted with uncertainty. "If you need some time alone we can step out of the room for a while."

"That's not what she means Oba-sama," Shimako spoke up drawing all eyes to her as she looked directly into Noriko's eyes and clarified. The former Rose Gigantea knew her little sister better than anyone else and so it had only taken an instant for her to realize what Noriko had really meant. Just the sound of the smaller girl's voice, in the tone that she used and the inflection of the statement, said everything to someone who knew how to listen. Someone who knew how to read the woman in the bed. Someone who knew her better than she possibly knew herself. "She wants us all to leave and never come back."

There were gasps around the room upon Shimako's words which weren't refuted by the girl that had made the initial statement. "Noriko-chan, surely you don't…" the girl's mother started to ask but couldn't bring herself to finish, too fearful of the answer awaiting her.

"Shimako-san is correct," Noriko finally confirmed in a passionless voice, breaking eye contact so that she might glance towards her mother. "I want all of you to leave and never come back." Shimako was the only person, besides Noriko, in the room that didn't wear a confused expression upon her face. "Please, just go away," Noriko stated, her eyes finding Shimako's and pleading with the woman by that one look.

Once more without breaking eye contact with the woman she loved Shimako translated the ambiguous words. "She wants us to remember her as she is now, not how she'll be a year from now or even two years from now. Leaving now insures that we'll always remember her as the cute, energetic and vibrant girl we all love so dearly." The girl she spoke of, held fast by the grey eyes which stared at her as if they were memorizing each and every detail, nodded confirming everything Shimako had just stated.

"But where will she live? What about school," the elder Nijō inquired as her husband tried to comfort her.

Noriko's head snapped around and looked directly at her mother. "School? Really Mother? I've just been told that I have scant years to live and you want me to fritter them away in some classroom learning facts that I'll never ever use in the short amount of time that has been allotted me?" As the small girl spoke her voice grew louder as she barely managed to keep her anger under control. "You may run back home and go back to school! I know that is what you're best at!" The older woman flinched at her words as if struck by a physical blow. "You have children that need you. In case you haven't noticed, now more than ever, I'm not a child any more Mother!" Her voice quivered with what the adults present took to be suppressed anger however Shimako knew it to be just the opposite. It was a voice so filled with pain and raw emotions just marginally held in check. Noriko's shoulders slumped as if all of her strength and anger were used up from that one tirade. "Go home mother," she said in a softer voice as her eyes fell to her lap, "That's the only place you're needed now."

"Sumireko Oba-sama," Shimako said softly with a pointed look at the stricken parents. Taking the hint Noriko's great aunt stepped over to her sister and slowly, with the help of Noriko's father, ushered her towards the door and finally out of the room. Shimako stood up and stepped to the bedside in one fluid movement. Reaching out she gently laid a curled finger beneath the young girl's chin and lifted causing Noriko's face to rise and her head to tilt back so that Shimako could see the smaller girls face once more. Without a word the light haired woman leaned in and lovingly kissed the smaller girls brow before straightening back up and walking from the room. As the door to the room was closing behind her she heard the first of what she was certain would be many, gut wrenching sobs. It took all of her considerable control not to rush back into the room to console the hurting girl within.

The next morning Noriko spent getting her things packed and ready to go as her discharge paperwork was being processed. As the morning passed into early afternoon the petite woman glanced around the room once more to insure she had everything. An orderly arrived with a wheelchair to take her to the main entrance to the hospital so that she could catch a bus to where ever she was going. A detail she herself had yet to determine. As she drew near the glass doors they opened automatically and she saw a face she knew all too well seated upon a stone bench. The person she saw may have been waiting only a few minutes or even perhaps the entire day, she had no way of knowing short of asking. The woman with light colored hair and distinctive western features stood upon seeing her, clasping the handles to a small purse in her hands in front of her, she waited for the wheelchair to draw near. "Shimako-san," Noriko said when she was near enough to speak to the older woman. "I thought I asked you not to come back."

Shimako smiled serenely at the woman that meant more to her than her own heart beating within her chest. "It's not tomorrow yet," she said in way of answer, stunning the girl in the wheelchair into silence. Motioning for the orderly to follow her, the daughter of a Buddhist temple stepped to the curb and hailed a cab. With the orderly's assistance they managed to tuck the befuddled Noriko into the backseat before she could object. Shimako walked around to the other side and climbed into the cab after thanking the orderly for his help. The smiling woman gave the cab driver the address of her family's temple and they were soon on their way. The entire trip to the temple itself passed in silence.

Shimako watched the girl ahead of her in the wheelchair come to a stop near a bench and ease herself from the wheelchair to the bench itself. Grey eyes sparkled with love as they always did when resting upon the woman before her. As she walked down the paved pathway to the now seated girl she couldn't help but smile recalling the conversation the two of them had that first day at the temple. They had found a secluded area in which to speak so it was less likely they would be interrupted or overheard.

"Shimako-san, you have to let me go," Noriko opened with. Having used the time in the taxi en route to the temple to gather her thoughts once more and so felt she was ready for any argument the woman seated beside her on the bench could come up with.

Shimako's reply, when it came, was short and to the point, "No."

"But Shimako-san, I ca…"

"No," was heard once more, effectively cutting off her carefully prepared reply.

"Shimako-san…"

"No."

"I…"

"No." Noriko opened her mouth to say something only to hear "No." for the fifth time before even a single syllable had passed her lips. The smaller girls head dropped in defeat. Through it all Shimako sat there with a gentle smile and a serene look upon her face just waiting to say that single word once more should it be called for.

"Onee-sama," Noriko finally said and then looked up at the woman regarding her with surprise when the expected word, she had now been the recipient of five times, wasn't delivered instantly. Brown eyes meet those of grey and she saw in those eyes a love so deep and so pure that her heart hurt. She had been ready to turn that love aside, to deny that it existed. Lost in those grey eyes she recalled all the time the two of them had spent together, the promises they had made and the fact that she loved the woman beside her more than life itself. "I love you," she said softly in a tender voice. "Will you stay with me?" Shimako leaned over and without a word hugged her Petite Sœur tightly for several long moments till Noriko suddenly heard the older girl sniffle delicately and leaned back from the embrace only to see tears gently rolling down the smooth skin of the cheeks before her.

"There's my Noriko," Shimako said with a sniffle as she wiped at her tears with one hand. "I thought I'd lost you in there the other day," she added with a wave of a hand to indicate the wheelchair and Noriko's current situation, as a small smile graced her lips.

After that day things had more or less settled into a comfortable arrangement for the two of them. Noriko moved into the Tōdō family home there at the temple. When Shimako had suggested that they make a list of Buddhist statues to go see Noriko had declined stating that she had better things to spend her time on. The knowing look that clearly indicated that the smaller woman's 'better things' were none other than Shimako herself, warmed the older girls heart and took her breath away as she was overcome by her love for her white rose sister. The two women spent every minute together as Shimako withdrew from Lillian University wanting nothing more than to be by Noriko's side. They made day excursions to parks and other places where they would sit and talk while holding hands and gazing lovingly into each other's eyes. Evenings were spent at home, curled up on a couch together, each simply enjoying the others company. Today what had brought them to this secluded park was a dolphin fountain Noriko requested to see. Shimako had packed lunches, made with her own loving hands, for them to enjoy when they were ready. The sun shone brightly and for the time being they were the only ones present at the fountain. The soft gentle whisper of the wind as it almost playfully caressed the trees causing them to sway side to side was relaxing to listen to.

"What took you so long, Shimako-san?" the petite girl chided Shimako; however the loving smile on her face took any possible sting out of the words.

"Next time I think I'll ride in your lap," Shimako retorted with taking a seat upon the bench next to the woman she loved and setting their boxed lunch next to her, "That way you can wheel us both here and you won't have to wait for me."

"I'd just be happy to have you in my lap," Noriko replied and then, realizing what she has said, her cheeks turned an adorable shade of red. Looking anywhere but at the woman seated on the bench beside her, her eyes fell on the fountain. "Oh, it's so beautiful!" she exclaimed clasping her hands together to her chest as her eyes shone with wonder and delight at the fountain. The fountain itself held not only dolphins but also mermaids and mermen as well.

Shimako smiled; delighted to see the woman she loved so happy. Turning to regard the fountain with its many spouts of water she had to agree that the fountain was very impressive. There was a shimmering in the air around the fountain from all the water particles that hung in the air in mist form. The effect seemed to make everything sparkle. "You know I wouldn't be surprised if when the sun hits this just right a rainbow appears," she said turning to look at Noriko only to have her words stopped in midsentence as the smaller girl's lips covered her own. Shimako's eyes grew large in shook however she didn't pull away.

It was Noriko that finally broke the kiss and leaned back slightly with her eyes closed and a dreamy look on her face. Stray beams of sunlight flicked down through the canopy of leaves above to dance across the younger girls face making it seem even more breathe taking than it already was. "I'm sorry Shimako-san," Noriko finally said opening her eyes to see the woman she had just kissed gazing at her with a look she had never seen on Shimako's face before. "I just had to know what that was like before I…" she stammered, not certain of the correct term to use. "Before I'm gone," she finally settled on. "I'm sorry," she offered, still uncertain of the look upon the slightly older woman's face.

"It's alright," Shimako replied softly as she reached out and caressed the younger woman's cheek affectionately. "You startled me is all, Noriko." Shimako swallowed slowly. "I wasn't expecting that." Noriko started to apologize once more only to be held spellbound by the grey eyes that were growing larger and larger before her. "I think, I would like to know what it's like as well," Shimako whispered tenderly as she closed the distance between them and captured Noriko's moist lips with her own. Noriko was quick to return the lingering kiss that stretch for several long moments before Shimako withdrew with her own eyes closed just as Noriko's had been. Several long moments passed before she said anything. "I can't believe we've waited so long to do that." Opening her eyes she saw that Noriko's entire face, all the way to the tips of her ears, was a lovely shade of pink.

-oOo-

Summer burnt out and slowly gave way to autumn. One exceptionally bright and summer like day, which would probably be one of the last warm and sunny days of the year, the women packed a lunch and went for a stroll outside across the grounds of the temple. Robed monks and visitors alike stopped and greeted them, offering kind words and warm smiles. Over the past months the two women had become a permanent fixture at the temple. Those who frequented the temple often were heard to greet them as Yoruhiru, meaning day and night. Noriko's black hair and Shimako's wavy hair which had lightened considerably from all the time the two had spent outdoors the last two months; it was an apt name for them. It was Shimako's father that set them straight one day. "They greet you as Yoruhiru not because of your hair coloring," his eyes sparkled with mirth. "Rather it is due to the fact that night will follow day and day in turn follows night so too where ever one of you goes the other is quick to follow." Both women turned and looked at each other in amazement and then giggled softly behind hastily raised hands.

The day was exceptionally beautiful as Shimako strolled along beside the wheelchair of the woman she loved. The walking woman paid close attention to her little sister and noticed that she was favoring her left hand again. Only a few days previously the small woman had confessed that the thumb on her left hand was 'misbehaving' as she put it. Not wishing to say anything to her Petite Sœur as she knew how self-sufficient she liked to be, Shimako instead suggested they stop. "This would make a lovely place to sit in the sun and enjoy our lunch wouldn't it Noriko?"

Noriko surveyed the rich green manicured lawn and how the naturel curve of the land gently slopped away. If they could manage it without upsetting her wheelchair, they could descend the slop slightly and allow it to act as a natural back rest for when they lay down. "I think it will do nicely, S…Shimako," she replied with a slight stammering of the older girls name and only a light tinge of pink to her cheeks. After the events at the fountain Shimako has informed the smaller woman that she could, or rather should, drop the -san from her name when addressing her directly. It was something that Noriko found both exhilarating but a little embarrassing as well. Shimako herself found it all very charming and endearing watching her blush so cutely.

With Noriko's help they soon had their blanket spread upon the thick grass and weighted down at the corners. Shimako set their lunches out to one side along with a small cooler which contained refreshments for them. Moving back to the wheelchair the woman, with distinctly western features, assisted the woman she loved out of the wheelchair and down onto the blanket. Over the last several months they had become very adept at working in tandem to accomplish this maneuver. It wasn't long before they were both seated on the blanket, within easy reach of one another, and softly conversing about nothing in particular as friends will do while enjoying the company they are in. Seeing Noriko try to hide a yawn behind her hand, Shimako straightened the skirt of her light blue dress. The older girl had worn the dress specifically because she knew Noriko thought it looked stunning on her. Shimako patted her lap gently, the movement catching the other girl's attention. "Come lay your head here," she instructed with a gentle smile of reassurance upon seeing Noriko's hesitation. Suddenly feeling very tired, and drawn in by the offer of her Onee-sama's lap the petite ailing girl lay down and rested her head in the offered lap. "Comfortable?" Shimako smiled tenderly down at the woman in her lap as she leaned forward to shield the girl's face from direct sunlight.

Noriko opened her eyes upon hearing the one voice in the world she would never grow tired of. If she were to slip from this world with Shimako's soothing voice in her ears she felt there could be no better way to go. As her eyes opened they saw Shimako's face almost as if it was floating above her. The sun, which the other woman had moved to block from her eyes, backlighted the older girls head giving it an almost shimmering halo of light about it that took the younger girls breath away. For a long moment she could do little more than lay there and stare at what she was certain was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. Shimako started to become concerned as the other woman just lay there silently and stared at her unmoving for a long minute. Noriko's response, when it came, was said in a tone filled with love and wonder, "Shimako, you're an angel!" Noriko smiled suddenly realizing she had been wrong and that it hadn't been the most beautiful sight she had ever seen, at least not until Shimako had blushed just then.

Grey eyes sparkled with love and a trace of humor upon hearing the other girls words said with so much love and wonderment. "And if I was," she inquired of the girl in her lap. "What would you have me do for you?"

"If you were an angel," Noriko replied without batting an eyelash, "I would ask you to take me away with you and to never let me go."

"And miss your chance at being reborn?" Shimako arched a brow in question playfully, knowing her Petite Sœur leaned heavily towards the Buddhist belief of reincarnation.

"If it meant being with you for all eternity I would," Noriko declared with assertion. "I wouldn't even have to think about that one." The smaller woman's words stole the very breath from Shimako's chest and made her heart ache in a painful, yet happy sort of way. Shimako sat back, after all what does one say to something like that she pondered. Many minutes passed with the two of them just sitting, enjoying the simple pleasure of being together. "I hope I come back as a male," suddenly departed from Noriko's lips.

"Noriko!" Shimako exclaimed, completely surprised by her little sisters words.

Turning her head Noriko chuckled softly upon seeing the unguarded look of surprise upon her Onee-sama's face. "Think about it Shimako," the black, bob-cut haired woman went on to explain. "If I come back as a guy, by the time I'm twenty you'll only be thirty-nine," she reasoned. Still seeing a look of confusion upon the face that she could stare at endlessly, she chuckled softly. "Onee-sama, if when you're thirty-nine and a young dark haired twenty year old man comes up and flirts with you don't send him away. It just might be me!" Noriko grinned, her dark eyes sparkling playfully as she watched her Onee-sama's cheek turn a lovely shade of pink. "We could even get married!"

Shimako couldn't help but return the grin before her even as she felt the tips of her ears warm into a blush. "I'd marry you now if I could," she replied with in a more serious tone of voice than she had intended to.

Noriko raised a hand to shield her eyes from the sun so she could clearly see Shimako's face and eyes. "Would you really? I mean if you could. Would you really marry me, Shimako?"

The older of the two former Rosa Gigantea's reached out and took Noriko's hand that was shielding the smaller girl's eyes and brought the capture hand to her own chest, laying the smaller girl's palm against the front of her dress directly over her heart. "I love you with all that I am Noriko. I don't need some ceremony or a piece of paper to tell me what my heart already knows. I have been wed to you in every way that matters from the first moment I turned around from that Sakura tree and saw you standing there. I doubt very strongly that it is possible to be more attuned, more in love, with another living being than I am with you." While she spoke her heart the dark eyes beneath her gaze welled up with tears which escaped from the corners of the smaller girls eyes and ran down the sides of her face to become lost in the dark silken strands of her hair.

"Shimako," Noriko said in a voice heavy with emotions as she boldly reached up and caressed the older girl's cheek tenderly. "Promise me. Promise me that you'll love me for the rest of my life."

Shimako's own eyes sprung a leak as she leaned into Noriko's touch, tears rolling down her cheeks to drip unnoticed from her chin to fall forgotten onto her dress. Shaking her head negatively Shimako replied in a voice equally choked with emotions, "No. I'm going to love you till tomorrow comes."


	5. Chapter 5

The beautiful colors of autumn slowly faded as each leaf dropped from its precarious hold upon the branch of its birth and with almost saintly dignity floated down from on high like an angel descending to earth. Gone were the warm sun filled days where they could lounge about upon the vibrantly green lawns of the temple. Gone also was the use of Noriko's left hand, with the exception of the smallest of fingers, which still retained some muscle control. October passed by far too quickly, followed by November. They were well into December when the invitation to the annual Yamayurikai Christmas party arrived in the mail. After discussing it they both decided to decline the invitation. Noriko reasoned it would be too difficult to make it up to the meeting room at the Rose Mansion in her current state and she didn't wish to be a bother to anyone. More and more it seemed that she was tired and no amount of rest seemed to make her feel better or increase her energy.

It was the later afternoon on Christmas Eve while the two women were home alone, as Shimako's father has been called away on Temple business and wasn't scheduled to return till the next day, that there came a soft knocking on the front door. Certain it was someone looking for her father, Shimako went to answer the door however when she opened it she gasped, her hand flying to her mouth even as her eyes sparkled and suddenly sprung a most befitting leak. "Shimako, who is it?" Noriko's voice inquired from the other room. With no response forth coming from the woman she loved she decided to investigate herself. Shimako could hear the soft gentle hum of the electric wheelchair, purchased when the smaller girl could no longer use her hand, approaching and so stepped aside just before Noriko turned the corner.

"Surprise!" "Merry Christmas!" The combined voices of the current Yamayurikai, bolstered by Sachiko, Rei as well as the Three Wiseman or in this case Roses, Youko, Sei and Eriko, all greeted the petite girl within the wheelchair. Noriko's eyes grew almost twice their size and then suddenly her face crumbled and tears rushed from her eyes.

Shimako calmly stepped to the wheelchair and knelt down, slipping an arm around the smaller girls shoulders. Noriko quickly buried her face into the crook of her Onee-sama's neck as she cried large heartfelt tears of happiness. "She's just overwhelmed and excited at seeing all of you," Shimako turned her head and informed them, not caring if her friends saw her own tears running down her face or not. With her free hand she motioned for them all to come in. "Please make your selves at home," she instructed them. "We'll be along as soon as we can pull ourselves together." Every one entered and filed past, each offering their own loving words as they did so.

Touko stopped and leaned in, slipping her arms around the wheelchair-ridden girl and gave her a big hug from the side. "Crybaby," she teased eliciting a muffled chuckle from the girl with her face buried against Shimako's neck and shoulder. "You couldn't come to the party so we decided to bring the party to you," Touko explained. Noriko looked up at her friend with big watery eyes. "You didn't really think we would have this party without the current Rosa Gigantea in attendance now did you?" Touko's banana curls swayed back and forth as she stood back with a grin. "Wait right here while I check to see if everything is ready." Leaving the two confused white rose sisters in the entryway to wipe their faces, Touko went down the hall and peeked around the corner before motioning for them to come.

The two girls hesitantly made their way to the corner and turned it together, the sight before them left them both completely speechless. The room was bedecked with Christmas lights and decorations. There was a small artificial Christmas tree setup which Yoshino and Yumi were even then in the process of placing ornaments on.

Noriko smiled and fought back tears again till something suddenly struck her. "Doesn't it seem a little strange to be celebrating Christmas while on the grounds of a Buddhist temple?"

"No stranger than the daughter of a Buddhist temple attending Lillian," Sachiko offered over her shoulder as she adjusted the star on the top of the small tree.

"Or the fact that the current Rosa Gigantea is a Buddhist statue admirer," Eriko chimed in as she entered from the kitchen door with a tray of snacks.

"Stop picking on my grandchild," Sei scolded the two of them with a stern look. "That's my job," she added as a big grin broke out on her face and she winked at Noriko.

The celebration lasted through the afternoon and into the evening. Laughter was the main course with a healthy dose of love and friendship to round out the day. As the festivities began to wear down Touko and Nana-chan disappeared for a few minutes only to suddenly reappear standing before Noriko. "Noriko-sama," Nana-chan started with. "On behalf of the student body and with the blessings of the Lillian Faculty members, we would like to present you with a present."

Touko removed a rectangular, flat, giftwrapped package from behind her back. "Noriko," the current Rosa Chinensis started with, her eyes already starting to shimmer. "We have really missed our dear, dear friend and current Rosa Gigantea. While you have been absent you have most certainly not been forgotten. On behalf of the Yamayurikai we would like for you to have this," she said as she handed over the gift. Noriko accepted the large gift and then just looked at Touko and Nana, at a loss for words and not knowing what to do. "Open it silly," Touko finally said exasperated with her friend and anxious for her to see the gift.

Noriko grinned sheepishly and then tore the wrapping paper off of the gift and held it up before her so that she as well as Shimako, who was seated next to and had never left her side all evening, could see as well. It was a large dark wooden frame of high quality. On one side of the frame was a picture of Noriko herself in her Lillian uniform. Where they had gotten that picture she wasn't certain but she liked it. Beneath the picture of her on a brass plate was her name, the name of her class and the date that would be their graduation the following year. The other half of the frame did make her eyes mist over and tears to start to flow once move. Nestled securely against a vividly white background was a Lillian Girl's Academy diploma with her name on it with all the appropriate signatures and stamps to make it official. Looking up with tears running unabashedly down her cheeks Noriko managed to say, "I can't thank you all enough." The happiness they could clearly see, even through all the tears, was more than any of them had hoped for.

"A copy of that picture hangs in the Rose Mansion as well," Nana piped up with. Noriko looked to Touko for confirmation and saw the drill bit haired girl nod in agreement. "It's on the wall in the meeting room."

Noriko handed the framed present to her Onee-sama and then reaching out gathered both of her fellow Roses, one under each arm, into a warm and affectionate hug. "Thank you. Thank you both," she said softly in a voice choked with emotions.

"You're always with us, Crybaby," Touko said, teasing her dearest friend. All three women were in need of a handkerchief when they finally stood up.

-oOo-

As New Year's drew near Noriko's health took a turn for the worse. After several days of barely eating anything, and when she did eat she more often than not choked and gagged on the food, Shimako was becoming concerned. It wasn't till Noriko's great aunt paid them a visit and commented that it looked like Noriko was losing weight that Shimako herself actually noticed it as well. Being with the petite girl all the time made it hard to notice gradual changes of that nature. The next day saw the three of them in the office of Ito-sensei. After examining the ailing woman the doctor advised performing a procedure called a gastrostomy which would allow for a constructed opening through an abdominal wall. It was a small operation that would allow for the placement of a feeding tube directly into the stomach.

"So I won't be able to eat any more?" Noriko inquired in disbelief as a small muscle in her left arm resting in her lap twitched.

"No," the doctor explained as best she could. "As the ALS progresses it will become increasingly harder to swallow. You risk the chance of choking and possibly becoming asphyxiated if you're by yourself."

"She won't be," Shimako said in a matter-of-fact tone of voice from her seat next to Noriko's wheelchair.

Ito-sensei glanced at Shimako and gave a slight nod acknowledging her words. "The feeding tube will allow us to make certain your body is receiving all the nutrients that it needs," she continued to explain facing back to the smaller woman before her. "You can still eat regular foods, however I caution you to never do so if you're alone. If at all possible make it food that's easy to swallow."

Noriko looked to her Onee-sama who squeezed the smaller girls hand in reassurance. "Alright, I'll have the procedure."

"Good," Ito-sensei replied as she made notes within Noriko's file. "I'll get the paperwork started on that so we can schedule it for shortly after New Year's. I also want to start having you attend physical therapy three times a week," the doctor continued on. "Shimako-san, you're to continue with the range of motion exercise you've been doing with her to prolong the muscle life. I don't feel the ADL's are sufficient any more at this point." Seeing both women's quizzical looks Ito-sensei grinned. "I'm sorry; I sometime forget not everyone has attended medical school. ADL, Activities of Daily Living. We'll also need to do an ALS Functional Rating test to determine how far it has spread." A few additional notes were made in the file before the doctor closed it and folder her hands upon it and looked at the three other women in her office. "Any questions?" There were none and so they thanked the good doctor and departed.

Within a few days the procedure was done and Noriko started taking carefully designed food through her feeding tube. It wasn't long before Shimako notice a distinct improvement in the woman she loved. The small woman seemed to have more energy and was more alert than she had been in some time. As soon as permission was obtained from Ito-sensei they began the physical therapy, making the trip to the clinic three times a week. A little over a week later there was a sudden knock at their door and when a middle-aged woman was standing there and proceeded to inform them that she was Noriko's new physical therapist and she would be visiting three times a week. When they had inquired as to who had set up her coming to them she simply told them that she didn't know and had just been instructed where to go by the company she worked for. Though they never determined who the unspoken benefactor was they both suspected that a certain sapphire eyed woman, who was known to keep the company of a terribly cute brunette with pigtails, was involved somehow.

Winter gave way to spring almost overnight it seemed. One day it was cold and blustery and the next the sun was shining and the trees were starting to bud. Shimako bundled up Noriko warmly, just to be on the safe side, before they made their way to a nearby park where the sakura trees were in full bloom. Noriko sat in her wheelchair and just stared at all the cherry blossoms. "It's so beautiful!" Noriko exclaimed with a look of awe on her face and with her mouth hanging slightly open in slack-jawed wonder.

Shimako sat next to Noriko on a bench, her grey eyes staring only at the woman beside her. "Yes. Yes it most certainly is," she agreed softly. Distracted by the beautiful trees the smaller girl failed to notice the intensity of those grey eyes that drank in every move she made. The cherry blossom could have all been made of ash for how they compared to the vision seated there beside her. She would trade all the beauty in the world to be able to bring happiness to this woman she loved. This moment, with Noriko sitting there with such a look of profound happiness and wonder on her face, was one Shimako knew she would always remember and cherish for the rest of her life. "So very beautiful," she whispered to herself under her breath as her heart ached within her chest.

-oOo-

"Noriko-san, would it be alright if I spoke with Shimako-san alone for a few minutes?" Ito-sensei requested of the wheelchair bound girl.

Noriko, rather than talking simply nodded her head before maneuvering her wheel chair around. Shimako reached out and laid a reassuring hand upon the smaller girls forearm. "Wait for me outside, Noriko. I shouldn't be long," she told the small girl and then watch as the wheel chair exited the office.

Dr. Ito walked back around her desk and sat, having gotten up to open the door for her patient. Opening the folder which had grown in thickness over the last year or so, she flipped through several reports before stopping to read one. "Noriko's functional scores have started to drop dramatically," the brown haired woman said as she raised a hand and momentarily massaged the bridge of her nose right between her eyes. "She's starting to have trouble breathing as well isn't she?" Shimako just mutely nodded in way of answering. "I think it may be time that we think about an assisted breathing device."

"I'm sorry, Ito-Sensei, that won't be necessary," Shimako informed her with only a slight quiver to her voice. "Noriko has decided that she doesn't," the light haired woman had to pause and gather herself before she could continue. "She doesn't want any of those and would prefer to forego them, even if it means a shortening of her life expectancy."

"Religious reasons?" Ito-sensei inquired having been through this with other patients over the years.

Shimako slipped a handkerchief from her pocket and dabbed at the corner of her eyes. "Something like that." The woman with distinctly western features vividly recalled the discussion the two of them had held last autumn concerning the machines that would allow Noriko to continue living regardless of her condition.

"Look, here's one that will even breathe for you," she offered optimistically even as her hand rose up and her fingered the soft depression in her own throat. The thought of Noriko having a hole there was unsettling to her yet she still passed the brochure over to the woman she loved.

Noriko took the brochure and glanced at it before setting it down on the table before her along with several others Shimako had handed her. There were machines to help her breathe, one that worked with a wheelchair so she could be mobile. There were machines that fed her and did any number of other things for her that she couldn't do herself or wouldn't be able to do when the time came. "No," she said pushing the brochures away from her.

"Noriko?" Shimako inquired, uncertain as to what the petite girl was saying no to exactly. "If you don't like any of those we can look at other ones."

"You can look all you want to, Shimako; however I don't want to use any of them, ever." Noriko moved her wheelchair away from the table considering the matter closed.

The older woman reached out and laid a hand upon the smaller girls arm before she could roll away. "Can we not at least discuss it, Noriko?"

"Shimako-san," the dark haired woman said, reverting back to what she had always called the woman before, a habit that surfaced whenever she was anxious or in times of emotional stress. "Look at those pictures. Look at the people in them!" Noriko lifted a brochure off the table for a night time breathing device displaying a man in his late fifties in bed and connected to the device. Passing the brochure to Shimako she continued, "Does that look like living to you?"

Shimako looked at the picture and then back to her Petite Sœur. "Of course it's living. You'd still be here. We'd still be together."

It started as a grin but quickly progressed to a demure giggle which blossomed into a chuckle that grew into laughter. Noriko tried to control it but found that it was not of her doing. Seeing the hurt expression on Shimako's face crushed the small woman and soon tears of sorrow ran from her eyes even as she continued to laugh. "I'm sorry Shimako," Noriko tried to apologizes even as the soft grey eyes of the woman she loved misted up and threatened to shed tears along with her. "I…I can't control it," she confessed.

Shimako did the first thing that came to mind, reaching over she hoisted the petite woman from the chair and deposited her directly onto her lap and into her warm embrace. "It's alright, my Noriko," she attempted to sooth the frazzled woman who was both laughing as well as crying at the same time. "I believe I recall Ito-sensei mention something called the pseudobulbar affect. She said there may be times where you cannot control your laughter and crying." Shimako gently began stroking the smaller girls back. "Granted she didn't warn us that it would be both at once," Shimako added in an exasperated tone of voice which Noriko had never heard her use before.

Noriko, who had just started to get her laughter under control suddenly started back up upon hear the tone of her Onee-sama's voice. "Stop, Shimako!" Noriko took several deep breaths to try to force down the urge to laugh and eventually succeeded in regaining control of herself. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to laugh in your face that way, Shimako."

"It's alright, my Noriko," Shimako assured her tightening her arms around the woman in her lap. Noriko placed her arms around the older girl's neck and laid her head upon the shoulder closest to her, nuzzling into the soft warm neck there. "I know you couldn't control it," Shimako supplied with a warm smile as the smaller girl snuggled deeper into her lap and neck. "Still, it was nice to hear you laugh. I haven't heard you laugh like that in a long time."

Long minutes passed with the petite girl held within the older girls loving embrace. "I know that would still be living," Noriko finally said, resuming their previous conversation which had been derailed. "I love you Shimako, with all that I have to offer. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you. If you want me to use those machines I will. It will give us a little more time together." Noriko raised herself out of the other girl's arms, forcing her body to sit up so she could gaze into the grey eyes of the woman she adored and loved. "I wouldn't be able to do this," she said as she raised her hand and ran her fingertips along the soft gentle curve of Shimako's bottom lip before raising it and trailing it across the older girl's brow line in a loving touch. As her hand continued to travel the face before her and came to caress the older girls check she said again, "Or this," as she leaned in and softly captured the soft pink lips before her with her own. The kiss was brief, yet tender and filled with love. "I wouldn't be able to do anything on my own and you, my dear, sweet, Shimako, would have to do everything for me." A soft yet sad expression came to rest on the dark haired girls face. "That's not living to me," she said softly before continuing as she knew her next words would likely hurt the woman she loved more than any other in this world. She hadn't even said the words yet and already she felt a pain in her heart. "Just for whom would I be living?"

Shimako, without saying a word reached up and cupped the petite woman's face in both hands and then leaned forward and kissed her gently upon the lips and that was that. She knew her Petite Sœur well enough to know that her mind was made up. While Noriko had stated that she would do whatever Shimako wanted, so deep was their love and respect for each other that the older woman would never ask anything of her that Noriko didn't want to do. Shimako realized that she herself was just being selfish and had been willing to put the woman she loved through anything just to keep her for a little while longer.

"At this rate it is doubtful that she'll make it through the winter," Ito-sensei informed the woman seated across from her, effectively returning Shimako's attention to the present.

Shimako swallowed once as she paled slightly. "We more or less figured that," she told the doctor. It was one thing to discuss Noriko's condition but to suddenly be told that there were only a handful of months left made everything hit home it the heaviest of manner.

-oOo-

Spring grew to become summer and the sun shone warm and bright. Neither of the women could recall a more beautiful summer. The summer warmth brought with it difficulties speaking as Noriko's speech abilities failed to respond in the manner she wanted them to. Her words became slurred and halting which only served to frustrate the small woman. Shimako, always the calm and serene one took it all in stride and, learned to tell what the other woman wanted or needed without her even having to ask. As the weeks passed by and autumn stole away the heat of summer Noriko hardly spoke at all and could no longer move any part of her body other than her head and that only with great effort.

"Shimako." The woman who answered to that name instantly was awake and sitting up, having been dozing on the bed next to Noriko. "I love you."

"I know you do," Shimako replied with a soft smile as she fussed and made certain the other girl lying next to her was tucked in warmly. "Don't waste your strength," she gently chided her Petite Sœur.

"Thank you for everything," the smaller dark haired women went on heedless of the other woman's words.

"You've nothing to thank me for," Shimako countered with. "As I've told you before I know you would do the same for me were our positions reversed."

"Not for this, though I am thankful for you taking care of me," Noriko clarified suddenly finding it easier to talk than she had in a long while. "Thank you for coming into my life I mean. I didn't realize just how alone I was till that day I saw you by the sakura tree. Do you remember?" Shimako nodded feeling her eyes welling up with tears that threatened to spill forth like raindrops. "You asked me if I had forgotten how to talk. I think I may have, because standing before me was a vision of beauty and holiness." Tears leaked slowly from the small woman's eyes as she recalled that day. "I knew right then that my life would never be complete unless you were in it. You have been and forever shall be, the very best part of my life…of me. I love you so very, very much, my Shimako." The light haired woman leaned down and gathered the girl into her arms as her tears fell upon the linen and she repeatedly told Noriko how much she loved her. Shimako remembered those sweet tender words, etching them into her heart to call to mind throughout the rest of her life for they were the last words Noriko ever spoke.

-oOo-

Autumn cooled and slipped into winter without the two women knowing. Late one night Noriko's breathing became labored and broken. Shimako finally had to admit that it was time for the woman she loved to return one last time to the hospital. An emergency rescue vehicle drove them to the hospital and soon the petite girl was once more admitted and connected to a series of monitors and dripping IV's.

The days blurred from one into another. Shimako sat next to Noriko's bed, unmoving each day, holding the smaller girls hand lovingly while she stared into the soft dark eyes before her. For all that had happened, the white rose sisters had come full circle as once more they stared into each other's eyes. Saying far more with their eyes than they ever could with something as trivial and fleeting as mere words. They both understood that what there was between them, no words could ever hope to describe or encompass.

Winter grudgingly gave way to the first breaths of spring. Soon the flowers would be blooming and the next class would be graduating from Lillian Girl's Academy. Shimako looked up and smiled weakly to Ito-sensei upon seeing the doctor enter the room. "How's our girl doing today?" inquired the doctor as she picked up Noriko's chart and flipped through it quickly.

"She had a pretty rough night," Shimako said lifting the hand she held in hers and softly kissing the back of it. "She's still here though," the tired woman added with a gentle loving smile towards the girl on the bed.

Ito-sensei walked over and stood behind Shimako where Noriko could see it. The failing woman's eyes briefly flickered to the doctor before returning to the face which had captivated her heart years before. "When's the last time you slept," the doctor inquired of Shimako as she laid a gentle hand upon the younger woman's shoulder to get her attention.

"I'm alright," Shimako assured her never removing her eyes from the face before her with its traditional Japanese doll features. "I catch little naps here and there while she watches over me," Shimako stated as she smiled tenderly. "We take turns watching over each other." The doctor smiled sadly as she turned and slipped quietly from the room.

That night was the worst one yet as Noriko actually stopped breathing once before starting back up again on her own. The next morning Dr. Ito visited again and after checking everything looked to Shimako with a look that clearly said that it was almost over. Shimako nodded in understand and asked if the monitors could be shut off. Ito-sensei turned them off herself before slipping from the room and closing the door behind her. Shimako leaned in and lovingly kissed the stilled lips of the other woman for a long moment. "Crybaby," she teased as she saw tears trickling from Noriko's eyes when she pulled back. "I love you," Shimako said, staring into the tired eyes of the young woman. Standing up she walked around to the other side of the bed and laid down upon her side. As gently as possible she pulled the petite girl into her arms allow the head with the black hair she so loved to use her arm as a pillow. Laying there, spooned up behind the woman her heart would always belong to, she softly began to talk. "Remember that first day we met, Noriko. You stood upon your toes and gently plucked the cherry blossoms from my hair. You're wrong, I was the one who was all alone and it was you that came into my life and saved me. It was you that loved me without question. I don't regret a single moment of the time we've spent together." The woman in her arms, lured by the soft gentle voice of the woman she loved slowly closed her eyes for the last time. "It's nearly spring time, Noriko. The sakura will be blossoming soon. We'll have to go see them together," Shimako continued speaking as the tears slipped from her eyes and slid down her cheeks. If her voice cracked or she stumbled on her words the small, petite, stilled body resting in her arms didn't mind.

Outside the sun shone upon the budding trees. Birds flew through the sky and sang their song of spring time. Clouds drifted past on the warming air currents as people hurried through life rushing from one place to another. The planet continued to spin in place about the sun. Life, that wondrous, beautiful thing, which could shine with the most radiant of loves and the deepest darkest of tribulations, continued on. For Shimako, tomorrow…would always remain…just a day away.


End file.
